Page:The Captivity of Hans Stade of Hesse.pdf/172
(so they call the Portuguese), and they would now thoroughly revenge on me the death of their friends. And when they brought me to the canoes, several of them struck me with their fists. Then they made haste among one another, to shove their canoes back into the water, for they feared that an alarm would be made at Brikioka, as also happened.
Now before they launched the canoes, they tied my hands together, and not being all from the same dwelling-place, those of each village[1] were loath to go home empty-handed, and disputed with those who held me. Some said that they been just as near me as the others, and that they would also have their share of me, and they wanted to kill me at once on that very spot.
Then I stood and prayed, looking round for the blow. But at last the king, who desired to keep me, began and said they would take me living homewards, so that their wives might also see me alive, and make their feast upon me. For they purposod killing me "Kawewi Pepicke,"[2] that is, they would brew drinks and assemble together, to make a feast, and then they would eat me among them. At these words they left off disputing, and tied four ropes round my neck, and I had to get into a canoe, whilst they still stood on the shore, and bound the ends of the ropes to the boats and pushed them off into the sea, in order to sail home again.
- ↑ Aldêa is the Portuguese word here used.
- ↑ Southey (i, 193) explains this "as we say, a Michaelmas goose, or Christmas ox". In chap. 28, Kawaway means wine (see p. 49); in Part 2, chap. 25, Pepicke seems to signify revenge.
Sobáy or Çobáy being the name by which Portugal was known. Ayres de Cazal believes that it took its origin from a Portuguese blacksmith who settled amongst the savages of Maranham—but those were days of scant intercourse. Dr. Moraes e Mello has also explained it (p. 440). In the conclusion of Part 2, Perott appears to be the name of an individual (Pierot?).